Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-04-16
THE NEW YORK WORLD.
A Paper of Surprises-something About
Its Stan.

4 Paper of Surprises-Something About
Its Staf.
Special Correspondence ofhe Register.
New YORK, April 13.-The New York
World has always been paper of extremes.
When it was started in 1860 it was so ex-
tremely religious that it refused theatrical
advertisements, and so extremely unprOft-
able that in one year it drove its first edi-
tor, Mr.. Alexander Cummings into the
Vest, into politics and into Territorial
GoyernOrsmp. During the war its ex-
treme opposition to the Administration
made il some money. Later, under the
management OF MIR. William Henry Hurl-
burt, il became so extremely literary that
it reached about rs low an ebb in circula-
ton and influence rs it is possible for n
newspaper to attain and still live, and yet
at the time, in the minds OF the scholars of
this country, it was regarded ~ the best
written paper in New York.
When Mr. Joseph Pulitzer came on from
ST. Louis, in 1888, and purchased it for
800, 600, there was practically nothing to
buy but the Associated Press franchise.
There is something in the first twenty
three years of the history of the World
which points moral for would be news
paper men. II proves that a newspaper is
the servant of the public, and when the
servant attempts to put on airs Of moral or
intellectual superiority over its master it
ceases to pay.
Under Mr.. Pulitzer the World has at
tempted to attain the extreme Of enter
prise. 1t has advertised, it has boosted of
its circulation, OF its advertising, and by
dint OF persistently footing its own horn it
has succeeded in becoming in many re-
speCts the leading paper of the metropolis
There is no doubt that to-day the World is
paying piece of newspaper property, but
that it pays the enormous profits which
are claimed for it few old newspaper men
believe.
Col. John A. COckerill is managing ed
itOr of the World at a salary Of ST., 900 a
year. He is thorough newspaper man,
alert, pertinaCiOus, an admirable executive
editor and a clear, iorceful writer. lie is
one of the most popular newspaper men in
New York, an officer Of the Press Club,
and active in every movement for the adj
vancement of the profession.
The World has the largest staff of any
paper in New York city. Nearly 600 men
draw their pay at the World Office on Park
row, and it takes over 1926 weekly TO
cover the pay roll. This is exclusive of
the correspondents and occasional writers,
who number about 400.
The World is now practically three pa
pers, its Brooklyn and New Jersey editions
each having its managing and city editors
and local staff. There is no doubt that it
is Mr.. PulitZer's ultimate intention to
make three distinct papers, and the estab-
lishment of plant in Brooklyn is q step
| in this direction. He also thinks of fol-
| lowing the example of several Of the BOs-
ton and Chicago papers and the New York
| Sun in issuing an afternoon edition.
There is but little gossip about the office.
All sorts of rumOrs concerning it float
around Park Row, and are the more easily
believed because the World is always
doing something surprising. When
Col. COckerill went to Europe
some time ago | was seriously in
formed by several old newspaper men that
he had gone to London TO stOrt an English
counterpart Of the New York World. Wild
as il sounds, the rumor was seriously can
yassed by men who ought to have known
better. But it shows the feeling in regard
to the paper. We can calculate pretty
closely what most of the papers will do,
but we are prepared to credit any bold OF
startling measure which may be imputed
/ to the IIIOrid 1t Mr.. Pulitzer should buy
the New York POstofhce for his paper the
newspaper men would be no more surpris-
ed sc the evidence of his success than they
/ would be at his failure if 1t should stop
| publication tomorrow.
1t is a paper Of surprise, and we are get
| ting used To it. ALLAN FORlAN.